SEO costs in the UK range from £500/month (local) to £10,000+/month (enterprise), depending on competition and scope.
Most buyers overpay because they do not know the difference between retainers, one off projects, and deliverables.
In 2026, brands that win visibility build beyond Google, using AEO and GEO signals that help them get chosen in AI driven discovery.
Tenacious AI Marketing Global offers clear packages, plus AI agent building and automations to speed up delivery and follow up.
Introduction
The search engine optimisation services market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $90.35 billion in 2024 to $106.9 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.3%.
One of the most common questions business owners ask is: “How much does SEO cost UK?” In 2026, most UK businesses pay £500 to £1,500 per month for local SEO, £1,500 to £4,000 for growth, and £4,000 to £10,000+ for enterprise.
With AI-driven marketing, search optimisation is no longer just about keywords and backlinks. It now includes AEO and GEO, plus content and structured data that helps your brand get chosen in AI driven discovery.
In this updated guide, we’ll break down the typical SEO costs in the UK for 2025, explain why pricing varies, and show you what you can expect from different service levels, from freelancers to full-service agencies that specialise in AISEO and future-ready strategies.
Why SEO Costs Vary in the UK
When trying to budget for SEO, UK businesses need to consider several factors:
Business size & industry – A small local café will have simpler SEO needs than a national e-commerce brand.
Scope of work – Basic on-page fixes cost less than full-scale campaigns with content marketing, technical SEO, and link-building.
Competition – Highly competitive niches (finance, legal, health) often require bigger budgets to achieve visibility.
Pricing model – Retainers, project fees, and performance-based contracts all come with different costs.
Industry Snapshot: Typical SEO Prices in the UK (2026)
Small/local businesses: £500–£1,500 per month
Growth-stage companies: £1,500–£4,000 per month
Large/national brands: £4,000–£10,000+ per month
One-off SEO audits/migrations: £1,000–£5,000+
In other words, asking “how much does SEO cost UK?” doesn’t have a single answer; it depends on your goals, timelines, and ambition.
Check the Detailed SEO Cost Breakdown in the UK (2025)
Ideal for SMEs and scale-ups competing regionally or nationally
Enterprise SEO (£4,000–£10,000+/month)
Large-scale content strategies and content hubs
Advanced technical SEO for complex websites
High-authority link-building and PR campaigns
Dedicated account management and strategic consulting
Perfect for national brands or highly competitive industries
One-off or Project-based SEO
Not every business wants ongoing SEO. Sometimes, you need a one-off project:
SEO audit: £1,000 - £3,000 depending on website size
Website migration: £2,000 - £10,000+ (complex projects can cost more)
Content campaigns: £300 - £1,000 per long-form blog or £2,000+ for multi-piece campaigns
Performance-Based SEO
A few agencies offer pay-for-performance SEO, where fees are tied to rankings or traffic milestones. However, this often comes with a base retainer to cover ongoing costs, and it isn’t common for UK businesses in 2025.
What’s New in 2026: AEO, GEO, and Automation-Led Growth
SEO isn’t static, and in 2025, traditional SEO is blending with AI-SEO and AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation).
As AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and voice assistants dominate, brands need to optimise for AI-driven search environments.
In fact, Gartner predicts that traditional search engine volume will drop by 255 in 2026 because of generative AI, making it essential to optimise not only for Google but also for AI discovery platforms.
What is AEO??
AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) is the process of structuring your content and brand signals so AI search assistants can confidently pull your answer, cite you, and recommend you.
Create clear, direct answers to real questions (FAQ style, how to, comparisons), written for humans and machines
Strengthen entity signals (who you are, what you do, where you serve), using consistent wording and structured data
Publish evidence content (case studies, reviews, pricing, examples) so AI engines trust you enough to cite you
What Is GEO?
GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) is the process of shaping your content and digital footprint so AI systems include your brand when they generate recommendations, comparisons, and shortlists.
Build topic authority with clusters (one core page plus supporting blogs, FAQs, and examples) so AI can map you to the category
Improve “chooseability” with proof signals (reviews, results, credentials, clear offers), so you win the shortlist
Distribute the same message across trusted sources (site, YouTube transcripts, profiles, listings) so AI sees consistency and confidence
Tenacious AEO and GEO Packages (2026 Pricing)
Tenacious AI Marketing Global offers AEO and GEO packages designed to improve visibility across modern discovery, plus AI agent building and automations to speed up execution.
AEO and GEO Light - £650/month: Setup of profiles, FAQ schema, foundational optimisation.
AEO and GEO Win – £1,200/month: Adds LinkedIn content, social media optimisation, and voice search targeting.
AEO and GEO Dominate – £2,000/month: Includes PR outreach, backlink campaigns, structured content, and authority-building dashboards.
These packages are designed for businesses that want to future-proof their visibility by not only ranking on Google but also in AI-driven results like ChatGPT.
What are the SEO Costs in the UK (2026)
SEO Type
Typical Cost
Included Services
Best For
Basic SEO (Monthly)
£500–£1,500/month
On-page, local SEO, basic keywords
Local businesses/startups
Growth SEO (Monthly)
£1,500–£4,000/month
Content, technical SEO, backlinks, reports
SMEs & scale-ups
Enterprise SEO (Monthly)
£4,000–£10,000+/month
Full-scale, PR, national campaigns
Large/national brands
Project SEO
£1,000–£10,000+
Audits, migrations, and content campaigns
One-off needs
AEO and GEO Light (Tenacious)
£650/month
Schema, FAQs, profile setup
Startups preparing for AI search
AEO and GEO Win (Tenacious)
£1,200/month
+ LinkedIn, social, voice search
Growing brands
AEO and GEO Dominate (Tenacious)
£2,000/month
+ PR, backlinks, structured authority
Businesses aiming for AI dominance
How to Budget for SEO in the UK (2026)
So, how much does SEO cost UK in 2026?
Small/local SEO: £500 - £1,500/month
Growth campaigns: £1,500 - £4,000/month
Enterprise/national SEO: £4,000 - £10,000+/month
AISEO packages: from £450/month
Ultimately, the right investment depends on your goals. If you want to dominate Google alone, traditional SEO still works.
But if you want to appear in AI assistants like ChatGPT and voice search, AISEO and AEO are no longer optional, they’re essential.
Whether you’re a startup or a national brand, Tenacious Sales helps you answer the question “how much does SEO cost UK” with transparent, scalable packages.
How long before I see ROI from SEO? Most businesses see early movement in 3 to 6 months, stronger gains often land in 6 to 12 months depending on competition, content, and technical fixes.
Why do some agencies charge £10,000+ per month? That level usually covers heavy technical work, digital PR, content at scale, and competing in brutal industries where authority takes serious investment.
Do AEO and GEO replace SEO? No. AEO and GEO improve how you show up in AI driven discovery, but SEO still powers rankings and demand. The best approach is both, not either.
Is project-based SEO worth it? Yes, for one time needs like an audit, migration, or technical cleanup. For consistent visibility and inbound leads, a monthly retainer usually wins.
What do I get with Tenacious AEO and GEO Light (£650/month)? AEO and GEO foundations like structured data, FAQs, and profile optimisation, plus 8 blogs a month
